Integrating a rate signal in an automatic pilot system



y 5, 1954 P. A. NOXON 2,679,366

INTEGRATING A RATE SIGNAL IN AN AUTOMATIC PILOT SYSTEM O riginal Filed Sept. '21, 1944 AMPLIFIER AMPLIFIER gww/wtov Paul A. Noxoli.

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Patented May 25, 1954 INTEGRATING A RATE SIGNAL IN AN AUTOMATIC PILOT SYSTEM Paul A. Noxon, Tenafly, N. J assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, Teterboro, N J a corporation of Delaware Original application September 21, 1944, Serial No. 555,155. Divided and this application tober 25, 1950, Serial No. 191,953

Claims. 1

The present invention relates generally to orientation systems which may be used as controls for operating automatic steering systems, and constitutes a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 555,155, filed September 21, 1944, now Patent No. 2,590,428 which is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial #399,- 241 filed June 21, 1941, now Patent #2,361,790.

Pendulously mounted compasses, whether of the earth inductor type or of the magnetic needle type, are subject to errors during rapid or steep turns so that they are unreliable for determining position or orientation during such maneuvers. It was proposed in. the above-mentioned patent to combine the compass with a rate gyro, i. e., a twc-degree-of-freedom gyroscope, whereby the latter would be predominating during a turn so that heading information was available at any instant during the turn. This was accomplished by combining the rate gyro and the compass to operate a single control through a motor, the two being mutually corrective. Such systems relied upon the measurement of the angle of gyro precession for operating the motor whose speed was proportional to the rate of turn and which constituted a device for integrating a rate of turn function to obtain an amount of turn or angle of turn function.

The above systems, while completely satisfactory for certain purposes, possessed certain disadvantages, principally because the rate gyro and the motor were coupled through inductive transmitter and receiver devices, the transmitter being coupled to the gyro and the receiver being electrically connected to the transmitter and resiliently constrained against motion by means of a calibrated spring. The exact calibration of the constraining spring and the gyro precession restraining springs was both arduous and time consuming and in service the zero position of the gyro was difficult to maintain.

The present invention overcomes these and other disadvantages, such as telemetric errors, by eliminating both the inductive receiver device and the calibrated constraining spring therefor, as well as the gyro precession springs, and the motor is connected with the rate gyro through a suitable connection, which, under certain conditions, may include relatively strong tangent law springs. Such an arrangement desirably permits the operation of the motor as a function of the gyro precession torque rather than the angle of precession as heretofore utilized. Stated in another manner, the gyro is substantially unrestrained when a turn is initiated so that the gyro precesses about its axis of oscillation, thereby developing in an inductive device a signal proportional to the precessive torque, this signal being fed to operate a motor which, in turn, operates through a drag connection on the inductive device to develop thereon a force equal and opposite to the precessive torque. In effect, an unrestrained twodegree-oi-freedom gyroscope is provided whose precession during turn is constrained to a rate of turn function by means of an electric motor.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a novel and improved control system of the type utilizing a rate gyro and a magnetic compass.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved control system of the type utilizing a rate gyro and a magnetic compass for governing the operation of a motor, wherein motor operation is a function of gyro precessive torque.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved control system of the character described, wherein during straight flight the compass assumes primary control of the control system, while during turns the gyro assumes primary control, the two being so arranged as to be mutually corrective as Well.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved automatic steering system for mobile craft such as an aircraft automatic pilot, for example.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a novel gyrosoopic rate of turn device ior mobile craft wherein the precession of the gyro during turn is constrained to a rate of turn function by means of electrical means.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purposes of illustration only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawing, there is shown a diagrammatic illustration of the electrical circuit together with the various component parts comprising the novel system of the present invention applied to an automatic steering system.

Referring now to the drawing for a more detailed description of the present invention, the novel control system is shown as comprising a tWo-degree-of-freedom gyroscope having a rotor l0 provided with normally horizontal spin axis ll mounting the rotor within a gimbal frame 12, the latter being provided with trunnions l3 for mounting the gyro on a vehicle for oscillation about a second axis perpendicular to the spin axis. The axis of oscillation is preferably arranged parallel to the ships fore and aft axis where the system is to be used for controlling the craft.

In the above-mentioned patent, calibrated restraining springs were provided at the gyro so that, upon turning of the vehicle carrying the gyro, the springs developed a force restraining gyro precession to a rate of turn function, and, thereafter, the integrator motor was energized by a signal determined by the angle of gyro precession. The principal and novel distinction herein over the arrangement of the above patent resides in eliminating the gyro restraining springs entirely and developing a signal proportional to the precessive torque and running the integrator motor as a measure of such torque, the ultimate effect being that the motor and its couplings apply a restraining force on the gyro, which is equal and opposite to the precessive torque so that the angle of gyro precession is substantially equal to the crafts angle of bank and is a true measure of the vehicles rate of turn about the vertical axis.

To this end, therefore, one of the trunnions 53 has secured thereto a bracket it which supports spaced springs l5 and i6 thereon. A pin ii is arranged between the springs and is carried by a lever iii secured to a shaft i9, the latter being journalled in alignment with trunnions I3. Springs i5 and it are preferably tangent law springs such as described and claimed in U. S. Patent No. 2,351,629 issued June 20, 1944. Shaft It supports for angular motion therewith a rotor winding 2t which is inductively coupled with a fixed stator winding 2i of an inductive device 22. Rotor winding 29 normally maintains the position shown in the drawing, i. e., one wherein the electrical axis thereof is normal to the electrical axis of stator winding 2i so that no signal is induced in the stator even though the rotor winding is energized from a source 23 to which it is connected by means of leads 24.

The moment that the gyro processes about trunnions 13, it displaces through the resilient coupling defined by springs I5 and I6, rotor winding 26 relative to stator winding '21 whereupon a signal is induced in the stator winding and fed by way of conductors 35 to the input of a conventional vacuum tube amplifier 25, the output of which is fed to energize the variable phase 21 of a reversible two-phase induction motor 23 having a rotor 25? and a constantly energized winding 36 which connects through leads 3! with the energizing source. It is desirable for high accuracy that a high gain of amplifier 26 be provided since maximum speed of motor 28 is reached on only a small angle of displacement of rotor 20 from its zero or null position.

Rotor 29 of the motor connects by way of a shaft 32 with a permanent magnet 33 of an eddy current drag coupling device having a non-magnetic drag cup 3 surrounding the outer periphcry of the magnet and a soft iron flux return member 35, surrounding the drag cup, the return member being adjustable relative to magnet 33 by means of an adjustment screw 36. Motion of member 35 in one direction or another increases or decreases the effective drag coupling, and eliminates the otherwise diflicult adjustment of springs l5 and I6.

Drag cup M is rotatably mounted by a shaft 3'5 which carries a pinion 38- at its freeend for A meshing with a relatively large gear 39, the two defining a suitable gear reduction train, gear 359 being fastened to shaft 19.

Thus the motor, in response to a gyro precessive torque, is energized to return, through the eddy current coupling, rotor winding 20 relative to stator winding 21 to a point approximately one-half of a degree from its null position so that a signal remains in the stator proportional to the rate of craft turn to operate the motor so long as gyro precession exists. Except for springs 55 and it between the gyro rotor and the inductive device, the rotor winding 28 would be returned to its null in which event the motor would become de-energized. The force exerted by the motor through the drag coupling to maintain rotor winding 28 in the desired position is transmitted through pin ll to one or the other of springs I5 and is so that a restraining force is exerted on the gyro equal and opposite to the precession torque thereof so that the gyro angle of precession is substantially equal to the angle of bank and is a true measure of the rate of turn about a vertical axis. In addition to defining a yieldable coupling between the gyro and the rotor winding 20 of inductive device 22, springs 55 and it also define a centralizing means for the gyro in that once the precessive torque on the gyro has dropped to zero but the spin axis of the gyro remains in some position other than horizontal, rotor winding 20 will still be displaced and thus continue feeding a signal to the motor until it runs enough to bring the rotor winding to its null when the motor is de-energized and the gyro becomes centralized through pin I? and the two springs. The motor and its couplings, in effect, act on the gyro in a manner equivalent to that of the calibrated gyro restraining springs of the aforementioned patent.

Where the apparatus above described is applied to use on marine vessels having no angle of bank during turn, the springs to and i5 be eliminated and trunnion I3 may be ri idly coupled to shaft 59. The motor under this condition will respond to precessive torque as before and develop a force proportional to the rate of turn for opposing gyro precession.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the motor operates a torque-balancing speed proportional to the rate of turn so that its shaft 32 integrates the rate of turn to obtain a total angular displacement corresponding to the amount of turn. In order to utilize this latter function for control purposes, for example, an extension of is provided with a pinion M which meshes) with a relatively large gear 35, the two defining a gear reduction system, gear Q5 being fastened to a shaft which supports a rotor winding thereon for angular motion relative to a stationary three-phase stator 56, the latter device being provided for purpose to presently appear.

Thus, in response to a turn, the yro processes whereupon the motor operates to develop a torque equal and opposite to the precession torque of the gyro so that motor speed is proportional'to the rae of turn and its shaft integrates the rate to obtain an amount of turn. Like all integrating systems, however, th above arrangement will ultimately develop some integration errors so that a reset in accordance with the earths magnetic field is provided for correcting the amount of turn.

The reset mechanism comprises a pendulously mounted earth inductor device, which may be mounted at some point of the craft having a minimum magnetic disturbance, such device comprising three delta arranged core members 5|, 52 and 533. Each of the core members is provided with a pair of series-opposed energizing windings 5d, 55 and which connect through leads 5'! with the supply source. Each core is, moreover, provided with secondary or output windings 58, 59 and Gil which ar connected in a delta relation thereby defining three taps 6|, 62 and 63 which connect through leads (i4, 65 and 66 with the three-phase wound stator 58. Inasmuch as the theory and operation of such devices is set forth fully in the above-mentioned patent, it is believed suflicient to state for present purposes that as each core member is saturated and unsaturated for each cycle of energizing current in the primary windings, the earths field enters and leaves each cor twice per cycle of the fundamental frequency so that signals appear at output taps Si, 62' and 53 having a frequency double the frequency of the energizing current. These signals set up a resultant magnetic field at stator 5! which is normal to the electrical axis of rotor winding 63 when the latter is at a zero or null position, Motion of the inductor device relative to the earths field changes the signals at the three tape which are connected to the stator whereby the resultant field thereat changes rel ative to rotor winding 49 and a signal is induced in the winding which is fed by means of leads 6''! to the input of amplifier 26 whereby the variable phase 21 of th motor is energized and the motor drives the rotor back to its null position and the motor is again ole-energized. This system is described and claimed in U. S. Patent No. 2,240,680, issued May 6, 1941.

Since, as alread mentioned, the frequency of the signal in stator 56 due to the earth induction device is twice the frequency of the energizing current from source 23, a conventional frequency doubler 68 is provided between source 23 and the fixed phase 36 of the motor as well as between rotor winding 2t and the source so that the signal due to either the rate gyro or the com pass or both appearing in the variable phase 27 of the motor will have the same frequency as the energizing current of the fixed phase 30. Moreover, a conventional phase displacement network (not shown) is included in amplifier 2B for providing subst ntially a 90 phase shift between the currents of the motor windings as is well known in the art.

It will thus be seen that a novel and desirable orientation system has been provided wherein during straight flight, if the system is used with aircraft, the rate gyro remains in a nonprecessing position and the earth inductor device has primary control over the position of shaft 46. The system is so designed, however, that any signal developed by the earth inductor is relatively Weak as compared to the signal developed because of gyro precession during a turn at an appreciable rate at which time the rate signal controls motor operation.

If no integration errors were present in the system and the inductor remained in a horizontal position, motor operation during turn would displac rotor winding :19 from its null relative to wound stator til. However, the varying signal from the earth inductor during the turn would provide a moving resultant of the magnetic field at stator 65 so that th electrical axis of rotor 49 would remain substantially normal to the resultant of the stator field and. no signal over and above that due to gyro precession would act on variable phase 27 of the motor. Due to integration errors, however, rotor winding 49 will be displaced from its null to develop a signal opposing or adding with the signal in variable phase 21 of the motor to correct for integration errors. On the other hand, during a turn, errors are introduced into a pendulously mounted compass which are eliminated by virtue of the fact that during such turn the rate gyro assumes primary control of rotor winding 45 and shaft 46. The gyro and compass are, therefore, mutually corrective and shaft 26 at all times corresponds to the instantaneous heading of the craft.

The system of the present invention may be applied to generating a directional displacement signal for controlling a control surface of a craft having an automatic steering system of the type shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 516,490, filed December 31, 19%3. Shaft 46 is coupled to a coaXially aligned shaft it! through a magnetic clutch fl and a centralizing device 72. Shaft i0 mounts a rotor winding 73 thereon which is inductively coupled with a three-phase wound stator 14 whose windings are energized from source 23. The rotor winding normally assumes a null position relative to stator ii, i. e., one wherein the electrical axis of winding i3 is normal to the resultant of the magnetic field at the stator at which condition no signal exists within winding it. As soon, however, as shaft 46 is displaced due to the control of either the compass or the rate gyro, rotor win-ding i3 is angularly displaced from its null whereupon a signal is developed therein which is communicated to the input of a servo amplifier 75 by way of leads i6 and out therefrom by way of leads ii to energize a servomotor it, which, through cables 19 will displace a control surface, such as, for example, a rudder 30.

In addition to the directional displacement signal developed by the novel orientation system hereinabove described, it may be desired to superimpose a follow-back signal from motor it upon the displacement signal together with a rate signal as more fully shown and described in the lastnamed co-pending application. To this end, a follow-back inductive device (not shown) is arranged at motor 58 and connected through leads 8| with the amplifier input while trunnion l3 of the rate gyro is provided with a rotor winding 82 which is inductively coupled with a threephase wound stator 83 connected for energization by source 23. The rotor winding 82 connects by means of leads 8 3 with the amplifier input to be superimposed upon the displacement and follow-back signals. Alternatively, since a signal is developed at stator 2! of inductive device 22 which is proportional to the rate of turn, stator windings 2| may be connected through leads 85 with the amplifier input instead of the rotor winding 82, in which case the latter winding together with its stator could be eliminated.

As explained more fully in co-pending application Serial No. 516,490, during manual flight clutch H is de-energized so that shafts 46 and 16 are uncoupled. When automatic flight is initiated, clutch H is energized so that shafts 46 and 10 are coupled and shaft is may be displaced angularly by shaft 45 against centralizing device 12. Upon de-energization of the clutch, the shafts are uncoupledand centralizing device 12 returns rotor winding 73 to its null position relative to stator 14.

There has thus been provided a novel orientation system which may be used as a generator of an accurate directional displacement signal during craft maneuver for operating an automatic steering system.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, various changes and modifications in the form and rela tive arrangement of the parts, which will now appear to those skilled in the art, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic steering system for a mobile craft having a control surface movable with respect thereto for controlling said craft about an thereof, a servomotor for operating said surface, turn responsive means on said craft responsive to a craft turn from a predetermined position, and means actuated by and drivably connected to said turn responsive means for opposing operation of said turn responsive means to produce a rate of turn function and for integrating said function to obtain an amount of turn signal for energizing said motor.

2. In an automatic steering system for a mobile craft having a control surface movable with repsect thereto for controlling said craft about an axis thereof, a servoinotor for operating said surface, turn responsive means on said craft responsive to a craft turn from a predetermined position, driving means actuated by and con nected to said turn responsive means for opposing operation of said turn responsive means to produce a rate of turn function and for integrating said function to obtain an amount of turn signal for energizing said motor, and means responsive to the earths magnetic field connected with and controlling said driving means for correcting the inegrated amount of turn for an erroneous integrated change of heading.

3. An automatic steering system for dirigible craft having a control surface thereon, means responsive to the turn of said craft from a prescribed direction, driving means actuated by and drivably connected to said turn responsve means for opposing operation thereof to produce a rate of turn function and for integrating said function to obtain an amount of turn, means connected to said turn responsive means for developing a signal proportional to the rate of craft turn, means connected to said driving means for developing a signal proportional to the amount of craft turn, a servomotor for operating said control surface, and means for combining said signals for energizing said servomotor.

4. An automatic steering system for dirigible craft having a control surface thereon, means responsive to the turn of said craft from a prescribed direction, driving means actuated by and drivably connected to said turn responsive means for opposing operation thereof to produce a rate of turn function and for integrating said function to obtain an amount of turn, means connected to said turn responsive means for developingya signal proportional to the rate of craft turn, means responsive to th earths magnetic field connected with and controlling said driving means for correcting the integrated amount of turn for an erroneous integrated change of heading, means connected to said driving means for developing a signal proportional to the amount of craft turn, a servomotor for operating said control surface, and means for combining said signals for energizing sewomotor.

5. An automatic steering system for dirigible craft having a control surface thereon, gyroscopic means mounted for precession in accordance with the turn of said craft from a prescribed direction, driving means, an inductive device connected to and actuated by said gyroscopic means for developing a signal proportional to the precession torque developed by gyroscopic means during said turn for operating said motor, means connecting said motor to said device whereby in response to said signal said motor runs at a speed proportional to the rate of craft turn to produce an opposing force on said gyroscopic means proportional to the rate of craft turn whereupon a second signal is developed by said inductive device proportional to the rate of craft turn, means connected to said driving means for developing a third signal proportional to the amount of craft turn, a servomotor for operating said control surface, and means for combining said second and third signals for energizing said servcmotor.

No references cited. 

